I decided to go back to school. I went and enrolled on Tuesday. I was told, that I needed to take a placement test before I did anything else. I have an appointment tomorrow.
The councelor gave me a sample test to look over. I’ve spent two days looking at his stuff and I just don’t understand any of it. The math is the problem. I knew all about fractions, decimal points and percents when I was in fifth grade, but now, I know nothing.
There is a section on algebra. It might as well be ancient Chinese. There is not a single thing I understand about that. I never learned algebra to begin with, so it’s not going to come back to me.
I know that I’m going to have to take extra math and algebra classes, but I’m so afraid that the college is going to look at my test and tell me that I’m just too dumb to even think about going to school again.
Ya know, if you knew this stuff, you wouldn’t need to go to school! Really. Just do your best and don’t just guess - you don’t want to accidentally get yourself more credit than you deserve. You want to be placed at the correct level.
No, you’re not the dumbest person by any stretch. Don’t let this freak you out. Math is a skill that is learned and practiced. It’s never too late to learn!
Don’t be that hard on yourself!! I think math skills need to be used or they fade away. I don’t remember a damn thing about algebra or geometry. My problem is that I NEVER learned decimals or percentages in school- I went from fractions in the 6th grade to algebra in the 7th- and I still have problems with them.
In the immortal words of Barbie , “Math is hard!”
Well let me tell ya a story. When I was 24 and had two little munchkins running around, I decided to go back to school. I had a full-time job, Mrs. Surb had a full time job, WHAT was I thinking?
I took a test that showed I was that stupidest person to EVER take a math class. Well not really, but close. I had to take remedial math classes from high school level on up. Basic Algebra, Basic Trig, before I could take College Algebra. I FELT F’ING STOOOOPID.
I then took and failed Calculus I, Calc II, a “D” on both retakes, a D in Calc III and a D on the retake and Calc IV twice. I really felt stupid.
I finally started to get it sometime around Differential Equations and Modern (read quantum) Physics. I passed both with C’s. Then when on to take some nasty Electrical Engineering courses just full of math and higher order calculus.
I actually have an EE degree from an accredited university (TSU Angola, IN). I felt like the stupidest person all 6 yrs of school. BUT, and I say BUT, I have the f’ing degree and I am working as a Product Engineer. I rarely do math. I have good organizational and good logic skills, (and I don’t give up easily) meaning if I have to do math, I can find a program to do it for me.
It beats the shit outta working on the factory floor. Give 'em hell. Don’t give up. Oh and if you need math help, don’t ask me :).
Surb, you know how dumb you are? Everyone knows you spell it “stoooooopit.”
Don’t worry, dragongirl. Whatever you get on the placement test, you’ll be fine. I’m guessing you’re not majoring in math, so no matter what you do on it, I’ll bet you wind up in an easier math course. And for those of us who can’t do math and certainly wouldn’t major in it, easier is better. It’ll be helpful, you’ll see. If you get into a remedial class, that will only help you when you get to the college-level course, anyway. If you just went into the college level course and did poorly, then you’d have wasted time and would feel even dumber.
Chin up! You’re not the only one who’s lousy at math, and I bet there are a lot of people sweating this placement test for the same reason you are.
Yeah, don’t sweat it, and don’t mistake knowledge for intelligence. I used to be fairly good at calculus about 10 years ago but I couldn’t do an integral or derivative to save my life now. I haven’t had to use those skills in the last 10 years, and math skills aren’t like riding a bicycle - they atrophy with time. The absolute worst that’ll happen to you is that you’ll have to take a semester or two of remedial math, and that’s really not so bad at all. It’ll give you the confidence and skills to tackle the higher-level stuff if you need to.
OH! Please don’t think you are dumb! Most people don’t just retain all that math information! I’m going back to school too, and found out that I’m going to have to take a test too. BUT, I think I’m just going to take the extra classes with out taking the test. haha My ego doesn’t need to see how bad I’ll do on it! haha
So you are by far, not the dumbest person in the world. Not even the dumbest person taking the test at the same time as you. haha
My advice is to go to www.half.com and pick up a used math textbook on the cheap. I just enrolled in school, too, and did that for several subjects as a refresher. I passed my placements with flying colors, and had so much fun studying on my own that I’m going to take a few CLEP exams this summer. Don’t sweat it–there are so many resources out there, and it’s much better that you take a few remedial courses to gain some confidence, than to take something too difficult at first, get a lousy grade, and feel too discouraged to go on. My first go-round in college, I took the most advanced things they could throw at me, and way too much of it, and I completely bombed. It’s taken me a few years to get my nerve back up. Good luck!!
Just do what I did at community college (thanks to the advice of my cunning advisor) - enroll as an Elementary Ed major. Did I want to go into Elementary Ed? Nope. BUT…I was able to finish my Associates Degree having only taken two classes that were “math”. I use quotes because one of them was Computer Science 100 (They taught us to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and the other was “Math For Elementary Teachers”, with such impossible topics as addition and multiplication. Pretty rough stuff.
Then I transferred to a four year school and changed my major to what I wanted it to be. Already had the degree, there was nothing they could do to change it.
My SAT math scores were so poor that they sent me a letter asking if I had “special circumstances” that I didn’t inform them of. My verbal score was near-perfect so they thought I had a learning disability or something that I didn’t disclose. Nope, just that bad. I got into my first choice school early decision though.
My placement test for what math I’d take in college? I scored JUST high enough to not have to take the remedial no credit course. I totally guessed, so it was pure luck.
The one math course I did have to take I failed miserably. But because I was there every day, participated, and made the effort, the prof told me “You failed this class miserably. But you tried, and I realize as an archaeology major, this is the last math class you’ll ever have to take. I’m giving you a D.” OVERJOYED.
Then I transferred and had to take math again cuz D’s don’t count. But I ended up dropping out and went back to my original college so it counted!
Bandanaman got it. This test is almost totally irrelevant to your future at this school or any other. It just determines what math class they think you should take. When I went to community college I had to take those also, but I never intended to take any math classes anyway so it didn’t matter. If you’re going for some kind of degree they may want you to take math classes but it essentially doesn’t matter which ones you take. Don’t worry about it at all.
Three years ago, at the age of 31, I went back to school. I knew I’d lost all my math skills, so I put off the placement test for as long as I could: two years. Finally bit the bullet last fall. Did about as well as I expected to and was put in the math review class. I was surprised to see 35 other people, of varying ages, in the same class.
You’re not the only one. I think you’ll also be pleasantly surprised to find that you merely need a refresher… You’ll remember the principles as they are re-explained.
It is hard to say DragonGirl, after all, I don’t know everyone…
Of course you aren’t! I went back to school later in life and I had forgotten a lot of mathmatics too. Don’t let it worry you, it will all come back, I promise.
Don’t sweat it–there are so many resources out there, and it’s much better that you take a few remedial courses to gain some confidence, than to take something too difficult at first, get a lousy grade, and feel too discouraged to go on. My first go-round in college, I took the most advanced things they could throw at me, and way too much of it, and I completely bombed. It’s taken me a few years to get my nerve back up. Good luck!!